October 22, 2007

Domain Names the New Network TV Affiliates

I love Television .. Growing up as a German immigrant (the son of German immigrants) in Hamilton Ontario, I learned English by watching television. The first TV I can remember watching was a Cheerios commercial during cartoons on Buffalo 7 .. For years I watched TV on the family's 19 inch Black-and-White set.. It wasn't until the late 70's that we could afford our first color TV (a 24" Hitachi") .. I had to think about that this morning as I watched MTV on my new Panasonic 103" .. the set cost more to buy and install than the home I used to watch cartoons from.

When I was 9 the family packed up the car and moved west to Vancouver.. I was amazed at the reach of those television networks.. I got the same TV shows on Seattle's Channel 4 as on Buffalo's Channel 7.. It was amazing how many TV station's ABC owned.

Several years later when one of our local stations switched from ABC to CBS and later when the UHF station with old movies changed over to become a part of the new FOX network it dawned on me that the networks didn't "own" those local stations at all.. The Building, antenna, airwaves were owned by the rich guy in town driving the shiny new Cadillac. He just syndicated the programming as a network affiliate.

All these memories came back to me this morning after reading this story in Forbes:

The web networks of today are experimenting with TV programming of their own and it dawned on me that domain name owners are in a similar position as the TV station owners to syndicate programming as it comes down the pipe.

The owner of the name RoomMates.com is in a terrific position to add a link to the new made for myspace show, in exchange for a fee or a share of advertising revenues. The large portfolio holder with hundreds or thousands of room-mate or apartment related domain names is in an even better position. Rather than one TV station with pre-set programming.. the net and large portfolios of names are in a better position to distribute and syndicate programming to the consumer than a single site that somebody might not stumble across.. On the other hand you could also distribute links to new web programming instantly across hundreds of thousands of domains of any genre based on the demographics of viewers across your name network, or based on the release time of your web based show.

There are several ways to peel this onion, but as Myspace or potentially Facebook and others create more "shows" launched via the web, those with the disposable eyeballs will be in a terrific position carry the message and distribute the content.

Hmmm now where can I get traffic out of nowhere?.. Sounds like generic domain name owners to me. Keep marshaling those eyeballs.

Hey Frank,
Do you remember "Commander Tom" or the "Rocketship 7" kids programs that WKBW-TV 7 used to show in the afternoons back in the swinging 70s?

As a native Buffalonian, your comments on growing up with the programming on ABC 7 gave me a few flashbacks. Unfortunately it looks like rocketship7.com and commandertomjolls.com both have reverted to parked pages, from their original content sites. Another childhood memory that succombs to the domain industry....

***FS*** I grew up on Rocketship 7.. remember it *very* well. That Apollo Rocket lifting off.. It sticks with you. :)

You will have what I am going to call the makings or start of: 'The Domain Worlds Perfect Storm'

This 'Perfect Storm'...just like in the movie (the perfect storm) is going to be caused by 3 or more giant, but totally separate storms coming together at once.

These separate storms are currently coming from different parts of the world and from different industry's (TV, Internet, Media, Tech).

The water is pretty calm right now and the 'fishing' is good, but once these separate storms brewing in all these different industry's collide the results are going to be tragic for some...

But unlike the 'movie' its going to be amazingly uplifting for others...mainly the new media dynasty's that appear after this 'perfect storm' which includes (And may be lead by) major generic domain holders.

Most that read Franks blog or are just in the domain business in some fashion at all (very small - to very large ways)can already see the shift thats going on towards generic domain names. This current tread is going to just keep accelerating.

But, as a result of this 'perfect storm' brewing and finally colliding...

(unfortunately...unlike a real 'weather storm' who's results can be seen a couple days after the storm....this perfect storms results will be seen much slower and will take a few more years).

...many, many different things will also happen...all should be to the direct benefit to domain holders.

One I see coming...that I have never heard anyone mention even the possibility of... is that there be a huge shift to using domain names to get people FROM the Internet to TV (TV Channels)... unlike the current tread of using domains...to get people from their TV to the Internet.

This shift will NOT take away from the current use of domains in advertisements on TV to get people to their online property's (I think this will be accelerating also)

...rather its going to be whole new use for domain names...and will just create an even bigger demand and market for generic domain assets.

This is just one of many things I personally see happing as a result of this coming 'perfect 'storm'.

As always...'only time will tell'.

But, Please reflect on whats going on...you do NOT want to be having a great few days or weeks of 'fishing on your boat'...and then find yourself in the 'perfect storm'...totally unprepared and as a result...lost at sea.

More like the Island in..."Castaway" (after my plane crashes) like Tom Hanks...but without..."Spalding" to talk to...LOL

lonely...

But, I think Franks blog has become my "Spalding"...sounds kind of weak and sad, I know.

But I have to get at least part of this stuff out.
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""Who would think the Internet helps to buy TV and Radio!", he exclaimed. Knowing Chena as I did, I would think it because it was Chris Chena...Paraguay's Internet, TV & Radio Magnate obvious to me that he was going to be wildly successful.

""Today he stands as the embodiment of what carefully chosen domains can do for an enterprise and of how the Internet continues to replace all other forms of media as the world's most important communications platform.""
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The author's conclusions are almost right until this last paragraph...

THIS IS HUGE TO UNDERSTAND:

The last 17 words of the last 'quoted' paragraph above...are totally wrong. (it may be now and seem...right now...BUT...

(Yes, the Internet is going to be fine and bring amazing things)...

TV will not only 'remain 'the media of choice....it is and will become the next revolution.